It’s hard to imagine a more perfect ending to a Fourth of July celebration than graham crackers
stuffed with ooey-gooey roasted marshmallows and melted chocolate.

Unless, of course, you can imagine the same treat crafted with homemade vanilla marshmallows
stuffed between freshly baked, sugary cinnamon grahams.

Sometimes, even perfection can be improved.

“
Homemade marshmallows have a really wonderful taste, so much better than
what you can buy at the store,” said Jennifer Pry, who makes them for her Galena business, That’s
So Sweet.

“It is more time-consuming, but the payoff is well worth it.”

Pry, who creates candy and dessert tables for weddings and other events, said a s’more bar
stocked with the homemade marshmallows is among her most-popular offerings.

“The one comment I always get is ‘How do you make marshmallows?’” she said.

Alice DuBois, owner of the Candy Cottage in Lancaster, said whipping up marshmallows at home is
easier than most people might think. Her shop sells candy- and cake-making supplies.

Although pastry chefs typically make marshmallows with a combination of egg whites, gelatin and
sugar syrup, recipes crafted for home cooks are simpler.

Dubois prefers one with unflavored gelatin, sugar syrup and corn syrup — to achieve the same
results without the temperamental egg white.

She recommends using a high-quality corn syrup, such as Karo brand, because less-expensive
brands might contain more water, which can impair the outcome of the confection.

Homemade marshmallows can prove tricky on first try but have pleasing results, said Lyric Hout,
sous and pastry chef at Due Amici in Downtown Columbus.

“Something that takes time always tastes better than something you can buy at the store,” she
said.

Hout makes marshmallows for the s’more on the restaurant’s dessert menu — a graham
cracker-filled blondie, topped with chocolate ganache and finished with a toasted marshmallow.

When using a recipe that includes egg whites, Hout said, the eggs must be extremely fresh
because older egg whites won’t whip into the kind of firm meringue needed for marshmallows.

Spencer Budros, owner of Pistacia Vera Pastry Kitchen and Cafe in German Village and the North
Market, makes marshmallows by beating boiling sugar syrup into an egg white meringue stabilized
with gelatin sheets.

Scraping some vanilla bean into the sugar syrup helps to intensify the marshmallow flavor, he
said, and the flecks of black from the vanilla bean give the finished confection an artisan
look.

Citrus zest can be used in the same way.

To keep them from sticking, Budros said, roll freshly cut marshmallows in a mixture of
confectioners’ sugar and corn starch.

“Never make marshmallows on a rainy day,” DuBois said, noting how they are highly susceptible to
humidity.

No store-bought graham will do when showcasing a homemade marshmallow.

Recipes for
graham crackers are plentiful, and most don’t even call for graham
flour — which can require a trip to a natural-food store. All-purpose flour or all-purpose and
whole wheat combined can achieve the same results.

The addition of honey and lots of vanilla give the crackers their brown color and signature
flavor.

Making graham crackers, Budros said, is similar to rolling out cookie dough.

In putting it all together, DuBois said, she sometimes treats herself to a s’more made with
high-quality dark chocolate. More typically, though, she opts for a Hershey bar.

“It’s the classic,” she said.

Below are recipes we found for marshmallows (without the egg white) and graham crackers (using
all-purpose flour).

Whisk together the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and let soften for 5 minutes.

Stir together the sugar, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup, water and salt in a medium saucepan over
high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 240 degrees Fahrenheit (use a
candy thermometer to measure). Meanwhile, pour remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an
electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Microwave gelatin on high until completely melted,
about 30 seconds. Pour it into the mixer bowl. Set the mixer speed to low and keep it running.

When the syrup reaches 240 degrees, slowly pour it into the mixer bowl. Increase the speed to
medium and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high and beat for 5 more minutes. Beat on the
highest setting for 1 to 2 minutes more and beat in the vanilla; the finished marshmallow will be
opaque white, fluffy and tripled in volume. Pour it into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula
to smooth it into the corners. Sift coating evenly and generously over top. Allow to set for at
least 6 hours in a cool, dry place.

Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan. Invert the slab onto a
coating-dusted work surface and dust it with more coating. Cut into whatever size pieces you wish.
Dip the sticky edges of the marshmallows in more coating, patting off the excess.

To make the dough, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food
processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or
mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture
and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. Dough will be
soft and sticky.

Turn dough onto lightly-floured sheet of plastic wrap, pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch
thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.

When chilled, divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Flour the work
surface well, and roll the dough into a large rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Flour liberally so
the dough does not stick. Trim the edges of the rectangle, and using a ruler, cut crackers into
rectangles that are about 3 inches by 2 1/2 inches. With a sharp knife tip, score each cracker down
the center, being careful not to cut all the way through. Then, prick each side of the cracker
several times with a fork.

Place the crackers on parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar
topping. Place trays in refrigerator to chill for about 30 to 45 minutes or in the freezer for
about 15 minutes.

Repeat with the second batch of dough. Gather any scraps of dough together into a ball, chill
until firm and re-roll.

Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets
halfway through to ensure even baking. Check after 15 minutes, as ovens vary, to prevent
burning.